Michigan and TCU vaulted into the top 10 of The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll on Monday after big victories over ranked opponents.
The sixth-ranked Wolverines climbed eight spots after routing then-No. 18 Notre Dame 93-54 on Saturday. No. 10 TCU moved up seven places as the Horned Frogs topped then-No. 10 N.C. State on the road Sunday, 69-59.
Michigan’s win over Notre Dame was its biggest ever over a Top 25 team. The Wolverines, who were last ranked this high on Feb. 21, 2022, have a matchup with No. 1 UConn on Friday night in the Hall of Fame Showcase at Mohegan Sun.
“Connecticut is really, really good,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said. “I think our kids want to compete against the best, I always have a stomach ache when those games are on our schedule.”
The Huskies remained the top team after receiving 28 first-place votes from a national media panel. South Carolina was second, fresh off a 69-52 victory over then-No. 8 USC. The Gamecocks got three first-place votes and No. 3 UCLA received the other top ballot after double-digit wins over Oklahoma and North Carolina last week. Texas was fourth and LSU fifth.
Baylor was seventh and the Sooners fell one place to eighth with Maryland ninth.
In and out
West Virginia made its Top 25 debut at No. 23 after beating Duke 57-49 on Friday night in a game marred by an on-court confrontation. The Mountaineers had six players ejected at the half due and played the second half with just five players.
Duke fell out of the poll, ending a 24-week run in the Top 25 that was the ninth-longest active streak.
Conference supremecy
The Southeastern Conference has eight teams in the rankings this week, including three of the top five. The Big Ten has seven schools in the poll, the Big 12 five and the Atlantic Coast Conference four. The Big East has one.
Games of the week
No. 19 Iowa vs No. 7 Baylor, Thursday. The two schools will play in the WBCA Showcase at Disney World. It’s the Hawkeyes’ first trip outside Iowa state this season while the Bears have played in Paris and Las Vegas.
No. 11 USC at No. 24 Notre Dame, Friday. Both teams are coming off disappointing losses and will look for a quality win early in the season.
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